Benefits of Babywearing
Y’all. I vacuumed and my baby took a nap. It was a total mommy-win in my book. Both needed to happen and neither would have if it weren’t for my wrap.
When I had my first son, almost eleven years ago, I did not have much of an idea about babywearing: a tradition that’s been around for centuries. I envisioned people hiking with babies strapped to their backs, but I didn’t know it would be helpful in my everyday life. After having two spinal fusions, I also didn’t know it would help my body physically to wrap and wear my baby close to my body, and I certainly didn’t know it could help my baby!
If you consider that a baby’s gestation is 18 months, 9 months in the womb and another 9 months out, a womb-type environment will help a baby adjust to the outside world. Babies who are worn fuss less, make better cognitive connections, are sheltered from being overly stimulated, are touched more, and feel safer. They enjoy the familiar motion they experienced in the womb as they are worn. Their temperature is better regulated close to mom or dad, and breastfed babies nurse more often, stimulate mother’s body to make milk by being close or skin to skin, and mom can truly see feeding cues right away.
The benefits to mom and dad are numerous as well: being hands-free, support for your back and body, and not having to carry large strollers or car seats around. For moms, wearing your baby can mean a release of oxytocin for both you and baby, and can aid in decreasing post-partum depression.
Moms and dads are not the only ones who can wear baby! Other loving caregivers can wear baby, too! What better way to bond than by cuddling with a precious baby.
There are many ways to wear your baby and you may even be able to join a local babywearing group in your area where you can learn tips, try different wraps and carriers, and sometimes even rent or borrow them!
There’s actually a considerable amount of research into the benefits of babywearing, most of which cannot be given due diligence in one short blog post. I encourage you to check these findings out when you can.
It is always important to learn the proper way to wear your baby in the wrap/carrier/sling you have. Here are my three favorite carrier types.
This wrap is truly wonderful. Stretchy, soft material that supports infants through toddlers! Easy to pack in your diaper bag as there are not a lot of bulky rings or buckles. And a bonus is that SnuggBugg gives a portion of their proceeds to Camp Firefly- a summer camp for terminally ill children and their families.
- Ring Sling with Shoulder padding- a great help when babies are small.
- Soft Structured Carrier- can be worn on front or back and is very supportive (most of the time an insert must be used for infants).